Chennai: OPDPA (Oil Palm Developers And Processors Association), the nodal agency for oil palm cultivation in India, has welcomed the message by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for recognising the need and importance of being self-reliant in edible oil, and asking farmers and State governments of north east to pursue oil plm cultivation.
State Governments of North East region have been urged to set up oil palm missions in their respective States to promote cultivation of the oil palm. The setting up of these missions will help boost the ecosystem as well increase focus for the adoption of the crop. Oil Palm cultivation in North East regions can tremendously boost the economy of the region leading to large scale development and progress of the region.
Sanjay Goenka, president of OPDPA said, “the expanse of Oil Palm cultivation in the country is very negligible today as compared to the potential the crop possesses. We have seen the transformation this crop has brought about in the lives of farmer community in Andhra Pradesh and we hope to emulate the same in the Northeastern States as well.”